https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/northern-california-plane-crash-parachute-18930013.php SF Gate LogoHearst Newspapers Logo Skip to main content [ ] Newsletters Home * About SFGATE * Contact SFGATE * Newsletters * Classifieds * Standards & Practices * Advertise With Us * Privacy Notice * Terms of Use * Ad Choices * Your Privacy Choices News * Bay Area * California Wildfires * Education * Weather * Health * Sponsored Content * Politics Local * SF History * Sponsored Content Los Angeles Best Of Sports * 49ers * Giants * A's * Warriors Culture * Movies * Streaming * Tech & Social Media * Marketplace * Cannabis * Senior Living * Comics Food + Drink Travel * Tahoe * California Parks * Disneyland * Hawaii * Wine Country * Monterey-Carmel Real Estate * New Homes * (Virtual) Open Homes * Luxury * Rentals * Mortgage Rates * Place a Real Estate Ad * Neighborhood Guides * Home & Garden Obits * Obituaries * Place an Obituary Coupons Shopping Puzzmo SF Gate LogoNewsletters TRENDING 46 min ago Closure coming to San Francisco Bay Area freeway this weekend 46 min ago News|Bay Area & State Parachute saves plane occupants in Northern California crash By Amy GraffMarch 12, 2024 A small aircraft went down in Whitethorn at the Mendocino-Humboldt County line March 11, 2024. A small aircraft went down in Whitethorn at the Mendocino-Humboldt County line March 11, 2024. Shelter Cove Fire Department Three people, including a 2-year-old, survived a crash in a small plane flying over Northern California on Friday when the aircraft's built-in parachute was deployed, officials said. There were no other occupants on the plane, according to a news release from the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office. * An image shared on Instagram by the Shelter Cove Fire Department showed the plane floating from a red-and-white parachute over a thick canopy of evergreens in Mendocino County. The plane went down when its engine lost power about 5 minutes after takeoff, the sheriff's office said. The pilot quickly realized the plane was too low in the air for a recovery and activated what's known as the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, the sheriff's office said the investigation found. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A small aircraft went down in Whitethorn at the Mendocino-Humboldt County line March 11, 2024. A small aircraft went down in Whitethorn at the Mendocino-Humboldt County line March 11, 2024. Shelter Cove Fire Department The parachute slowed the plane's descent and the aircraft fell into mountainous forestland near Yellow Road in Whitethorn, an unincorporated area about 80 miles south of Eureka. The airplane's three occupants -- the child as well as a 38-year-old man and 38-year-old woman, all from Santa Rosa -- survived with only "minor cuts and scratches," the sheriff's office said. The sheriff's office was dispatched to the scene of the crash at 1:15 p.m.; multiple other agencies assisted. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More News -- A new twist in the last-ditch appeals of Scott Peterson -- After 6-hour meeting, Disneyland to advance sweeping expansion -- Newsom rejects parole for man who killed SF high school student -- 8,000-year-old buried site discovered on San Francisco Peninsula March 12, 2024 By Amy Graff Amy Graff is the senior news editor for SFGATE. She was born and raised in the Bay Area and got her start in news at the Daily Californian newspaper at UC Berkeley where she majored in English literature. She has been with SFGATE for more than 10 years. You can email her at agraff@sfgate.com. Selected stories: How a routine open ocean swim in San Francisco ended in death Who's behind Twitter's @KarlTheFog? An investigation The fight over Death Valley's 134-degree temperature record heats up San Francisco surfer, father of 2 dies after accident at Ocean Beach The 3-minute heist wreaking havoc on the Bay Area is only getting worse Most Popular 1. Two California parks remain closed indefinitely 2. I know what happened to Kate Middleton 3. Never-before-seen act observed in endangered species off Hawaii coast 4. Airbnb overturns policy used by hosts and hated by guests 5. 8,000-year-old buried site discovered on San Francisco Peninsula Shopping Southwest has vacation bundles up to $250 off right now Save on popular flight and hotel packages to Hawaii, Las Vegas, Mexico and more. Andaz Maui At Wailea - A Hyatt Hotel [https:// www.southwestvacations.com/hotels/andaz-maui-at-wailea-a-hyatt-hotel/ #!/] 12 best Mario Day deals, from gaming consoles to LEGO sets This Sunday, March 10, celebrates gamers' favorite animated plumber. Celebrate Nintendo's fan-favorite animated plumber with these gaming deals. Where to watch 'Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV' The two-part docuseries investigates producer Dan Schneider's Nickelodeon television... "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" premieres March 17. This bestselling Bluetooth speaker is 76% off at Amazon Grab the bestselling Vanzon speaker for under $40 while the offer is live. Vanzon Bluetooth Speaker V40 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCRDYYML?th =1] - $37.99 at Amazon The best checked luggage of 2024 Frequent flyers share their favorite travel bags for every budget. Prep for travel season with a new checked bag. Shop Amazon's spring cleaning sale and get a $15 credit today Stock up on everything from laundry detergent to trash bags during this promotion. Now's the time to stock up on household essentials at Amazon. Return To Top SF Gate Logo About Our CompanyCareersOur Use of AIEthics Policy Contact FeedbackNewsroom Contacts Services Advertise with usClassifiedsSponsor ContentRecruitment Quick Links CarsJobsWeatherObituaries About * Our Company * Careers * Our Use of AI * Ethics Policy Contact * Feedback * Newsroom Contacts Services * Advertise with us * Classifieds * Sponsor Content * Recruitment Quick Links * Cars * Jobs * Weather * Obituaries Hearst Newspapers Logo (c) 2024 Hearst Communications, Inc.Terms of UsePrivacy NoticeCA Notice at CollectionYour CA Privacy Rights (Shine the Light)DAA Industry Opt Out Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads)